That is true for any musical instruments. Renuka. On 11/27/13, raaju <[email protected]> wrote: > To play a flute, you will no longer need any site or any sighted help! > > -----Original Message----- > From: AccessIndia [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf > Of Renuka Warriar Edakkunni > Sent: Wednesday, November 27, 2013 11:40 AM > To: AccessIndia: a list for discussing accessibility and issues > concerningthe disabled. > Subject: Re: [AI] Bansuri Flute Styles & Techniques > > Nice article. But, any connection with disability? > Renuka. > > On 11/27/13, raaju <[email protected]> wrote: >> Bansuri Flute Styles & Techniques >> >> >> >> There is no single standard of correct flute technique in India today, >> and >> the different flute players of the current generation each have their own >> unique >> >> manner of playing. Here is some general information on some of the >> different >> styles. >> >> >> >> Pannalal Ghosh >> >> >> >> Ghosh, who died in 1960, was the inventor of the modern version of the >> seventh hole, played by the little finger of the right hand. He is the >> musician who >> >> popularized the stage performance of long flutes, and can generally be >> considered the father of modern bansuri performance. Before him, most >> flutists used >> >> very short flutes, as is still the case with Karnatik music today. Nor >> did >> they necessarily play transverse flutes, as with the noted flutist and >> producer >> >> D. Amel of Bombay, who played classical rags on a recorder-like "straight >> flute" and who was an influence on Panna Lal Ghosh's performance. >> >> >> >> Arguably the most important contribution by Ghosh to North Indian flute >> technique was his extensive use of the third octave of the flute's range. >> This requires >> >> a somewhat narrower flute than ones commonly found in India today. > Although >> some musicians today maintain that Ghosh used very fat flutes, his >> recordings >> >> offer evidence that he did not. As flutes get wider, the notes of the > third >> octave drop out, one by one. The first to go is the high Komal Ni, and in > a >> >> recording of Rag Khammaj made shortly before his death Panna Lal Ghosh is >> playing this note quite clearly. This can only be done on a flute of a >> medium >> >> bore, and not a wide one. Some people maintain that he played with the >> fingertips of both hands, but photographs of him taken in the late 1950's >> show him >> >> holding narrow flutes with the pads of his finger on the left hand, using >> the fingertips only on the right hand. >> >> >> >> Panna Lal Ghosh was later in life a student of Ali Akbar Khan's father, >> Allaudin Khan of Maihar. His music demonstrates the virtuosity of rag and >> tal to >> >> which all classical musicians aspire. He played extensively in the form >> of >> Kheyal, or the vocal style characterized by such tals as slow ecktal >> followed >> >> by a faster piece in tintal. The flutes which he played were somewhat >> primitive by today's standards however, and many of his recordings are >> notoriously >> >> out-of-tune. >> >> >> >> His legacy was carried on by his son-in-law Devindra Murdeshwar, who in > the >> 1970's was probably the leading flutist of his generation. Unfortunately, >> he >> >> did not record much at that time and only a few pieces from this period >> exist, such as Rag Jhinjoti in rupak tal, which despite a very wispy tone >> is >> a >> >> beautiful performance. After the death of his wife, Ghosh's daughter, in >> the >> 1980's Murdeshwar had a nervous breakdown and never regained his previous >> >> stature. His son, the late Anand Murdeshwar, carried on the family >> tradition >> with an unkind twist - he did not use the third octave of notes, ignoring >> >> completely the very contribution to flute technique his grandfather >> pioneered. >> >> >> >> Hari Prasad Chaurasia >> >> >> >> On the stage today, the dominant force is Hari Prasad. He is a unique >> talent >> who has developed an unprecedented style by assimilating elements from >> every >> >> conceivable tradition, from instrumental to vocal and folk music. Unlike >> Panna Lal Ghosh, his music is characterized by extensive tonguing. His >> first >> teacher >> >> was Bhola Nath, who played both shehnai and flute, as was common for >> wedding >> musicians in that time. Some of his tonguing techniques are therefore >> probably >> >> derived from shehnai. Hari Prasad has also studied with Annapurna, Ravi >> Shankar's first wife and Ali Akbar Khan's sister, and some of Hari > Prasad's >> tonguing >> >> is reminiscent of the taranas, or songs composed with drum syllables, >> favored by the Maihar gharana. Some songs of this type from the Maihar >> tradition >> >> can be heard on Ali Akbar Khan's ensemble recording "Legacy," sung by >> Asha >> Bhosle. >> >> Hari Prasad is the advocate of the really fat flute, and uses a very wide >> embouchure as well. This style of flute favors the lowest notes. Some of >> the >> >> flutes Hari Prasad plays have a poor upper second octave and the third >> octave may be absent, so those notes are often ignored in his >> development. >> The large >> >> embouchure allows for the capture of the burst of air in his tonguing, >> and >> is very much part of his sound. He is a master at using the microphone as >> part >> >> of the sound-producing process, and controls his volume by moving in and >> out >> of its range. His flute is made with six finger holes, like the > traditional >> >> folk flutes before Panna Lal Ghosh's innovation. >> >> >> >> Hari Prasad mostly plays the instrumental style called gat, which >> consists >> of a single line of composition in and out of which the improvisation >> flows. >> >> He usually plays extensive jhala, or the fast tonguing which comes at the >> end of a piece, which is based on the use of the chikari or drone strings >> of >> >> sitar, sarod, or vina. This is a completely different style of >> development >> than that of Panna Lal Ghosh, which was usually based on the vocal style >> Kheyal. >> >> Jhala is not found in Kheyal, but belongs to the stringed instrument >> tradition. Hari Prasad does not generally play the kind of composition >> called bandish, >> >> which is a longer piece of usually four to six lines, which gives a more >> complete picture of the rag than the one-line gat. In his alap, or that >> part >> of >> >> the development which proceeds without tabla, he follows the instrumental >> style of alap-jor-jhala, where Panna Lal usually did his alap in a slow > tal >> such >> >> as vilambit ecktal, called in the Kheyal tradition barhat alap. >> >> >> >> Unfortunately, an entire generation of flute players has tried to copy > Hari >> Prasad's style, with absolutely no success. In order to mimic his sound, >> they >> >> play even wider flutes than he does, and lose the higher notes in the >> second >> octave in the process. One of his disciples, Rupak Kulkarni, has a >> commercial >> >> recording on which he cannot hold a note higher than Re in the second >> octave, because the flute he is playing is so wide it cannot produce the >> higher notes >> >> clearly or in tune. As has also happened with Zakir Hussain, almost >> everyone >> in his field has tried to imitate Hari Prasad. Hari Prasad and Zakir >> themselves >> >> are gold, and all the imitations are fool's gold. Young musicians would >> be >> well advised to follow their example, and not their styles, which is to > say >> >> that each of these great musicians became what they are today by finding >> what worked for them, and not by imitating anyone else. >> >> >> >> G. S. Sachdev >> >> >> >> Like Panna Lal Ghosh, the forms of Sachdev's music are based on the vocal >> traditions of North India, while the content of it was shaped by the > Maihar >> tradition. >> >> Sachdev's early teacher was Vijay Raghav Rao, the disciple of Ravi > Shankar, >> and after some years of study with him, Sachdev went on to study with >> Ravi >> >> Shankar himself. Sachdev's concept of what a correct rag consists of was >> shaped by Ravi Shankar, and it might be said that a great many other >> musicians >> >> have the same respect for Ravi Shankar's knowledge. In fact, Hari Prasad >> himself once said to me, "I believe as you do, however Ravi Shankar plays > a >> rag, >> >> that's the correct way to do it." Of all the flutists playing today, >> Sachdev >> had the best musical education, the others being mostly self-taught, even >> >> if they had gurus. Just having a guru doesn't necessarily mean you get > many >> lessons, and the traditional guru-disciple relationship which Sachdev >> enjoyed >> >> has mostly broken down. >> >> >> >> Sachdev generally plays bada kheyal and chota kheyal, vocal style pieces > in >> the rhythm cycles vilambit ecktal and drut tintal. The style of > development >> >> he usually uses is barhat alap, though he often plays alap-jor-jhala as >> well. He also does many pieces in slow rupak tal, sometimes using the >> barhat >> alap >> >> style. His music closely resembles the performances of the noted vocalist >> Lakshmi Shankar, Ravi Shankar's sister-in-law and student, who also >> presents >> >> the rags of the Maihar gharana in the forms of vocal traditions. One of > the >> most important influences on Sachdev's music, apart from his teachers, is >> the >> >> music of Bhimsen Joshi. The most important thing I ever learned from >> Sachdev >> was an appreciation of Hindustani vocal music. >> >> >> >> Sachdev is the advocate of the very, very narrow flute, now out-of-favor > in >> India. His flute would easily fit inside of Hari Prasad's flute. From >> this >> narrow >> >> seven-hole flute, he produces a tone which is unmatched by any other >> flutist. His tone is focussed and resonant, and is remarkably consistent > in >> each octave. >> >> The tone in the lowest notes matches the sonority of the antara in a way >> which is not possible on a wide flute. The claim that good tone comes >> from >> a >> wide >> >> flute is refuted by Sachdev's playing, as he gets the best tone of any >> flutist performing today with by far the narrowest flute. The embouchure >> which Sachdev >> >> uses is not as large as Hari Prasad's. The smaller hole helps to focus >> the >> tone, and facilitates the production of the high notes. The seventh hole > is >> >> placed on the flute in a slightly different position than the ones in the >> Panna Lal style, due to the different hand positions used by the two >> musicians. >> >> >> >> There is a certain principle, which might be enunciated as - "The > technique >> and the instrument for it are one." Sachdev has a technique which allows >> him >> >> to play nicely in the full three-octave range of the flute, like Panna >> Lal >> Ghosh, and has the flute which facilitates this technique. Hari Prasad's >> technique >> >> centers around the lowest notes of the flute, and he has the flute which >> favors these low notes. >> >> >> >> Both Sachdev and Hari Prasad play with the pads of their fingers, and not >> with the finger tips. This generally allows for a longer stretch, and > makes >> playing >> >> the longer flutes somewhat easier. >> >> >> >> Raghunath Seth >> >> >> >> Raghunath Seth is the best of the mostly self-taught flutists, and is the >> only bansuri player whose light classical music rivals Hari Prasad. For a >> number >> >> of years, he was a colleague of Sachdev's early teacher Vijay Raghav Rao > at >> the Government of India Documentary Films Division, producing and > composing >> >> music for films. When Vijay Raghav Rao retired from his post as Director > of >> the music division in 1980, Raghunath Seth was given the position and >> became >> >> his successor. >> >> >> >> Like Hari Prasad, his music is a blend of many different influences. He >> often plays classical music in the style of the slow tintal gat favored >> by >> sitar >> >> and sarod performers, followed by a piece in fast tintal which is >> somewhat >> more similar to a chota kheyal than a true drut gat. Another musician who >> follows >> >> this kind of development is the famous sarangi maestro Pt. Ramnarain, >> with >> whom I was blessed to have had some lessons. Raghunath Seth has > synthesized >> >> many styles into a unique presentation which does not resemble anyone > else, >> and is characterized by excellent control of pitch, rhythm, and rag as > well >> >> as a wide repertoire of diverse pieces, including such light styles as >> dadra, kajri, bhajan, and dhun. He is also fond of playing obscure rags >> in >> unusual >> >> scales derived from Karnatik music, often pentatonic, as does Vijay >> Raghav >> Rao. >> >> >> >> Raghunath Seth uses a bamboo key to play the seventh hole of his >> medium-bore >> flutes. He also uses two different seventh holes, one tuned to Shuddha >> Ma, >> >> the other to Tivra Ma, and fills the unused one with beeswax according to >> the rag. The set-up of this key is very funky, and typical of an Indian >> village >> >> gizmo, the kind of thing that reminds you of days gone by. The extra >> seventh >> hole slightly changes the tuning of the third octave for the worse, and >> while >> >> he uses the third octave, he does not do so as extensively as Sachdev or >> Panna Lal Ghosh. >> >> >> >> In his youth, Raghunath Seth met Panna Lal Ghosh, from whom he received >> more >> encouragement and advice than lessons. He clearly was influenced by Panna >> Lal, >> >> and this influence is visible in his music today, as he uses these >> seventh >> holes, and the third octave of notes, following the example of the >> pioneer >> in >> >> his own way. This is notable in contrast to so many of the current >> generation who have ignored the legacy of Panna Lal, even his own > grandson. >> >> >> >> Flute Technique >> >> >> >> The guiding principle of good flute technique is "The most perfect >> playing >> with the least effort." Through your practice, which is a process of >> discovery, >> >> you should find the ways of holding and blowing the flute which allow you >> to >> play with good pitch and good tone while not straining to hold or blow >> the >> >> flute. Here are some suggestions for your practice. >> >> >> >> 1. Tone - while blowing into the flute, concentrate your mind on the >> sound >> you are producing, and not on your lips. When you find the tone which you >> think >> >> is the best, take note of it and try to reproduce it throughout the range >> of >> the flute, in both octaves. Play long tones from the lowest note to the >> highest >> >> and back down again, exploring the tone of each note. Play a lot of >> scales >> in every tempo to establish your tone in the full range of the flute. If >> you >> >> listen carefully, you will find that each flute favors certain notes. >> Some >> flutes made in India are very wide, which produces a nice tone on the >> lowest >> >> Dha and Pa, but the same flutes have very poor, and sometimes absent, >> second >> and third octave notes. A medium bore is generally better for most >> people, >> >> though it can be noted that the flautist with the best tone, Sachdev, > plays >> the most narrow flute. >> >> >> >> 2. Fingering - Play scales from the different Thaats. You will find that >> certain komal notes tend to pull your hand into slightly different >> positions. Find >> >> the hand position that is the best compromise for the most Thaats, and >> stick >> with it. Don't use your finger-tips, but use the pads of your fingers and >> >> lay the fingers flat on the holes. Pay careful attention to the position > of >> the thumb of the left hand, as it carries more stress than any other >> finger. >> >> When making the half-holes, open the side of the hole which is farthest >> from >> the embouchure. >> >> >> >> 3. Rhythm - Play with a metronome, and with tabla if you can. You will > find >> that this is a reality check. You may think you are playing the pieces in >> rhythm, >> >> but unless they work out with the metronome or tabla, you're not. >> >> >> >> 4. Tonguing - Actually say the syllables "Ta Ta" while doing those >> exercises >> specifically recommended for tonguing. Later, you can try "Ta Ka Ta Ka" >> which >> >> is called "double tonguing," meaning at the front and back of the tongue. >> >> >> >> 5. Memorization - Indian music must be played by memory. When you get the >> piece memorized, and are playing it correctly, that is the beginning of >> your >> practice, >> >> not the end of it. Only then can you begin to make it sound like music. >> >> Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing accessibility >> of >> mobile phones / Tabs on: >> > http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_accessind > ia.org.in >> >> >> Search for old postings at: >> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ >> >> To unsubscribe send a message to >> [email protected] >> with the subject unsubscribe. >> >> To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, > please >> visit the list home page at >> http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in >> >> >> Disclaimer: >> 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of > the >> person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; >> >> 2. 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AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails > sent through this mailing list.. > > > Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing accessibility of > mobile phones / Tabs on: > http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_accessindia.org.in > > > Search for old postings at: > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > > To unsubscribe send a message to > [email protected] > with the subject unsubscribe. > > To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please > visit the list home page at > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in > > > Disclaimer: > 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the > person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; > > 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails > sent through this mailing list.. >
Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing accessibility of mobile phones / Tabs on: http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_accessindia.org.in Search for old postings at: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ To unsubscribe send a message to [email protected] with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in Disclaimer: 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails sent through this mailing list..
